Misunderstanding
by JaneDoe33
Summary: As the title suggests ,it's a little ficlet based on a misunderstanding. The characters are slightly OOC. Jack has a panic attack. This is my first attempt.I own nothing. Any new fics I write are posted in A03 under the same name


300 years of solitude leave their mark. Though Jack never spoke of it , it was obvious he still bore the scars. The Guardians were guiltily conscious of their former neglect of Jack and this year , North had decided to throw a grand party to usher in the new year. It was never explicitly said but it was tacitly agreed that the party was mainly for Jack-to make him feel welcome and part of the family.

Jack knew nothing of this. It was to be a surprise. He had merely dropped in for one of his usual visits to the North Pole and had been coaxed into spending a few nights at North's palace.

For someone who had spent the better half of the last century trying to break in,Jack seemed strangely reluctant to accept the offer. He looked taken aback-even suspicious (North winced)-that anyone would want him around for an extended period of time.

While Jack busied himself exploring the palace(after all,how often does he get a chance like this?),the Guardians gathered to discuss the preparations.

Bunny was helping Tooth with the food. He had been roped in for fear everything sweet would be left out of the menu altogether("Candy is so bad for teeth!"squealed Tooth).Sandy and North were in charge of the presents and as North kept coming up with ever more fantastic ideas for presents for them all,Sandy's increasingly frantic question marks at the towering pile of presents went largely unnoticed.

Meanwhile Jack flew through the palace-when he had thoroughly explored various nooks and crannies,he flew into an unfamiliar room. He recognized it as North's room. It was unlike any he had seen. North 's most delicate and important inventions were rumoured to be made here with his own hands—even the yetis were not allowed in here.

Curiously,Jack alighted gently on the carpet ,looking at the glass globes and strange winged sculptures made entirely of spun gold.

BANG!Jack jerked around in surprise ,only to trip heavily over the elves ,who seeing the door Jack had left ajar,had sneaked in. Twittering with glee,they flew round and round,upsetting North's precious creations with a crash. Jack flailed,but it was too late, the study was a wreck.

Jack stood in the centre of the chaos,aghast,heart beating violently in his chest. Any minute now—

The Guardians burst in the room.

"What did you do,you little drongo?"groaned Bunny,looking around."No!" cried North.

Jack opened his mouth but no sound came out . He had been trying so hard, _so hard_ ,to be accepted by his new found family but now North would never forgive him,he would be cast out in the cold again-

"Yeh really make a mess wherever ya go,don't ya,Frostbite?"said Bunny ruefully.

Jack froze. Unbidden ,what Pitch had said echoed in his head. He had said something similar,hadn't he?He had said-

Sandy looked sharply at the boy. He was even paler than usual,his hands curled into fists,his body trembling-he looked terrified.

"Jack",began North heavily and Jack flinched. This did not go unnoticed by North who looked surprised and a little hurt. Surely ,Jack did not think North would hurt him?

"Jack, _breathe_ ,"said Tooth ,suddenly ,urgently."Breathe , Jack!"

Jack did his best to do as she said ,but there suddenly seemed to be too little air in the room. He tried to draw in a breath, failed and tried again. The edges of his vision grayed. He could still hear Tooth but it sounded muffled and far away as if he was underwater. The room tilted.

North's worried, blurry face was the last thing he saw before his vision went black.

When he woke up,he was in a nightshirt,in a dark room,on an enormous bed ,far too big for his tiny body . He looked muzzily up into the darkness ,trying to remember.

All of a sudden, the memories came rushing back and he stared at the ceiling , heart thumping in his chest. This was it , then. They would kick him out now, he would go back to being the little nuisance who always got in the way. He swallowed and got gingerly out of bed. When he opened the door,he came face to face with Tooth, who immediately enveloped him in a hug.

"We were just coming to check on you,how are you feeling Jack?"she said,feeling his clammy forehead anxiously."You shouldn't be out of bed so soon,you need to rest!Sandy said panic attacks can be very draining!"

Jack fought the urge to lean in her arms and be cuddled indefinitely , and gently pulled away.

No use in drawing out the inevitable.

"Where is North,Tooth?"asked Jack.

"He is right here!",a voice boomed behind Tooth. North came round the corner,holding a bucket of ice.

"Jack, here is ice for you, Sandy said it vill help you recover !Now lie in bed ,while we make arrangements."He smiled encouragingly.

"It's all right, North, " said Jack, trying to smile."I'll be gone soon, I just wanted to say sorry first."

North's smile slid off his face. He stared at Jack, astonished.

"But why would you leave so soon Jack? You haven't even come to the party yet-Oops!"He clapped his hand over his mouth , staring at Tooth guiltily, who was glaring at him.

"So much for the party being a surprise ,then ,"said Tooth ruefully, shaking her head."Oh, Jack , dear,you must be all tuckered out—lets get you back into bed."

"I feel fine, Tooth, "said Jack, smiling at her."And I was just leaving in any case."

"Again this talk of leaving!" exclaimed North ,looking upset."You gave us all big scare, Jack, you must let us take care of you for a little while—and then you must get well and come enjoy with us!"

Jack looked non-plussed.

"But—but —weren't you going to throw me out?"he stammered, looking from Tooth to North."For destroying the study?"

"We were more worried about _you_ ,Jack ,"said Tooth, gently.

" Pfft ,"said North. "Toys can be replaced—the elves break them all the time. And why would we do that, Jack ? You are family."

Jack found his eyes were blurry again (this time with tears, to his surprise). He blinked rapidly.

"You mean-I'm allowed to stay?" He half-whispered. His heart was threatening to beat out of his chest. His eyes, wide and shocked, met North's kind ones.

"Of course, little one," said North gently. "You are one of us now."

Bunny came up the stairs, bearing a tray of food. He had been the one who put the nightshirt on Jack and he had noted with dismay how shockingly thin Jack was—his ribs stuck out sharply over his concave belly and his hipbones jutted out like knives. Each individual rib could be counted. Bunny had thought grimly to himself that before he allowed Jack to leave the palace, he would get him up to a healthy weight first, however long that took.

"You look a lot better, drongo," said Bunny gruffly.

Jack grinned cheekily at him,regaining some of his usual spirit. "You don't look so bad yourself, Roo!"

"Hey!"

THE END


End file.
